John P

Just watched the Feyenoord and Barcelona highlights, I'm just going to be disappointed tonight aren't I? Off into town now, COME ONNNNNNN!!!!!!!

From the BBC website: 'Roberto Martinez hails the contribution of chairman Dave Whelan to Wigan's rise through the divisions ahead of Saturday's FA Cup semi-final against Millwall. Whelan, who will lead the team out at Wembley, has seen the Latics rise from the fourth tier of English football to the first since buying the club in February 1995. He played for Blackburn in the 1960 FA Cup final, but was carried off on a stretcher with a broken leg as they lost 3-0 to Wolves. Martinez says: "Our chairman has been through a lot, in football and in life. I think the FA Cup is something very special to him. "Not many players had the experience that he had in the 1960s with a final and he had to be carried off on a stretcher, and there's a little bit of a sense of unfinished business." Must be why he was so sympathetic towards Haidara.....

Bit worried that there will be a lot of inappropriate gestures made on Sunday. Hopefully people will see sense and others around will put a stop to anything offensive.

Touring the US in the pre-season according to Llambias. More US radio commentary What was that guy's name again? Need to start a petition to get him to do all our games if we do go to the US

Touring the US in the pre-season according to Llambias. More US radio commentary

Saw this online: Unsurprisingly this letter relates to a particular challenge during a Premier League game that went unpunished last weekend. I don’t even need to name the people involved and which challenge it was, because everyone knows which incident I’m referring to, and everyone knows the utterly insane decision (or should it be lack of decision) made by the FA in response to this ‘challenge.’ I call it a ‘challenge’, but maybe ‘assault’ would be a better term? I call you ‘the FA’, but maybe ‘inept fools’ would be a better term also? I don’t know precisely which inept fools were responsible for this decision, but maybe whoever they are should pay a visit to Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary and explain the decision in person to a certain 20-year old French youth international who has just had his knee shattered into God knows how many pieces. A few years ago, before the recent advances made in treating sports injuries, that ‘tackle’ would almost certainly have ended this young lad’s career. Luckily, he probably will return, but as is very often the case with young players who receive terrible injuries, the likelihood is that he will never truly fulfil the promise he has shown in his brief career in French football and the few games he has played and shone in for Newcastle. And the punishment for the player who’s inflicted this? Nothing. The consequences for the assistant manager who ran on the pitch to remonstrate with the player I can’t even bring myself to name? A charge of misconduct. To charge him and not the player is absolutely beyond belief. I know the apparent reason why the ban wasn’t given, because the FA don’t want to be seen ‘re-refereeing games.’ If that’s the case, why do bans get rescinded? Is this not re-refereeing? Good contradiction there guys. I note that the FA are trying to improve standards in grass root football and have also in recent years introduced the Respect Campaign. It was also my belief that the FA and officials have a duty of care to protect players? And I look at these points and then look at what has happened in the last few days and I struggle to believe how the FA can justify anything they say or do. Would it therefore be ok for 10-year old lads on a Sunday morning to fly in knee high and put another young lad in hospital? I would hope that a Sunday league official (you know the type, fat Dads with glasses on, running the line because no-one else will / he’s the least hungover) would be able to see that incident, ‘full extent’ or not, and see that that was a red card offence. Never mind fully trained professional officials. Which brings me on nicely to the FA statement made in regard to the incident. I’ll quote it for you in case you’ve forgotten: ‘In the case of McManaman, it has been confirmed that at least one of the match officials saw the coming together, though not the full extent of the challenge.’ So let me get this right – one of the officials saw the coming together (I’m guessing the linesman who you can see looking at the incident on Match of the Day footage) but not all of it? So, he didn’t actually see the challenge then? And the reason no action has been taken is: ‘where one of the officials has seen a coming together of players, no retrospective action should be taken.’ But hang on, we’ve already established from the first quote that the official didn’t see the full extent of the challenge. I thought the decision makers and press officers at the FA would be able to cobble together a statement over the course of 48 hours that didn’t contradict itself in the space of roughly 20 words. There’s me and my crazy thinking again though. Going by this statement, maybe in the Tyne-Wear derby we could get Steven Taylor to dance around in front of the ref whilst Cheik Tiote slowly approaches Lee Cattermole with a sawn-off shotgun. Then at the last minute, Cheik goes on the blind side of the linesman and blasts Lee’s face off. The ref didn’t see it (nice one Steve) and the assistant saw Cheik approaching Lee with a shotgun and his face spread all over the East Stand, but didn’t actually see the bullet make contact with Lee’s lovely face. Play on lads, no retrospective action to be taken here. A ridiculous exaggeration but the principle remains exactly the same. What else did I want to say? No-one has probably bothered to read this far given the fact that it doesn’t suit one of the FA’s agendas but I’ll carry on regardless. I was wondering though if the situation would have been different if a French youth international had made that challenge on someone the FA was bothered about? Someone like Wayne Rooney, Jack Wilshere or ‘Stevie’ Gerrard. I somehow doubt the FA would have had the balls (excuse my French) to let that go unpunished if it was on one of our own over-hyped, over-paid, under-performing superstars. Which begs the question, what does the FFF make of all this? I don’t know what the relationship between the FA and the FFF is like, but I imagine it is no longer a good one. After all, this is a football federation who actually take retrospective action on terrible tackles (such as the one made by Valentin Eysseric on Jeremy Clement a couple of weeks ago which resulted in an 11-game ban)and protect players under their jurisdiction, whether one obviously inept official half saw a challenge or didn’t half see it. Sounds like a plan, eh? I’ve been told that football these days is all about politics. I think I’d rather have the Monster Raving Loony Party in charge than you lot. I honestly hope that some good comes of this, and that in the future tackles like this that can have no defence (despite what a senile chairman may say) are justly and correctly punished. I live in hope, but after what has happened I don’t think anyone believes in the FA any more. And I hope the next unlucky set of players to be officiated by the same officials can feel safe on the pitch, because I’m not sure I would. Anyway, I know no-one read this and probably never will, but at least I got it off my chest. I’m off to sharpen my studs for my five a side match tomorrow night, I’m thinking of throwing a neck high challenge in. ‘Don’t do that!’ you say! Don’t you worry, I’m taking my iPad with me. I’ll pull up a video of a certain assault and a certain statement of some inept fools. No arguing with that is there? I’ll leave you with this from Steve Froggatt: ‘From someone who lost his career through a bad tackle I find the decision from the FA shameful, embarrassing and above all gutless’. Well said Steve. Couldn’t have said it better myself.

I'm absolutely certain that there was an article just after Pardew was appointed where he was talking about Tiote, and how he needs to be more expressive and adventurous with his passing. Can't seem to find it after a quick Google search though, anyone else remember it or have a link to it?

Would love to see more English players playing for big teams abroad, think it would be beneficial to the national side too. Obviously the big problem is that most of our national side aren't good enough to play for big European teams! But someone like Wilshere could be a successor to Xavi in that Barca side IMO.

'MOUSSA SISSOKO - NEW NEWCASTLE UNITED SIGNING' on Youtube, done by the same guy who did the 'French Yaya Toure' video but with more clips added. Got to say that he looks fucking great

I know everyone will think this is bullshit but I genuinely think I saw him going into the RVI tonight at 7:30pm as I was leaving work. He was on his mobile speaking French, had a Nike kitbag over his shoulder. Having said that he probably doesn't even wear Nike boots and someone will post a photo of him wearing Puma going into Arsenal's training ground.

Needs to go back to the simple passing game he had when we first signed him. Although I seem to remember quotes from Pardew when he first took over saying how Tiote needs to be more 'progressive' with his passing. He doesn't. He needs to give it simple quick and early and concentrate on playing to his strengths.

Various things that really made me question Pardew tonight: 1) taking off Ben Arfa with 20mins to go. Honestly, what the hell was going through his head at this point? If we're chasing the game, surely the last person you bring off is Hatem (even if he's not 100% fit, he's 10 times more creative than anyone else.) 2) Him claiming in his interview after the game that it was one of our best attacking performances of the season. If creating zero clear cut chances is our best attacking performance of the season, then I want my money back for my season ticket, we were fucking dire going forward. 3) Persisting with Jonas. I'm a massive fan of Jonas, but he's been awful this season and he needs dropping. It seems like he's lost a yard of pace which he relied upon so much in previous seasons. 4) Shoe horning Ba and Cisse into the team. Playing players in a position which they're unfamiliar with and which doesn't suit their attributes is just rank bad management. Cisse wide right is an absolute joke, either drop him or put him up top with Ba on the left of a front three, you know, the formation in which we played our best football last season. I'm willing to give Pardew some time after our achievements last season but my patience is wearing very thin after an abysmal start to this season.

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/world-of-sport/dortmund-fans-turn-bayern-stadium-yellow-120046596.html Dortmund fans turns Allianz Arena ( Bayern Munchen Stadium ) Red to Yellow Brilliant. Got a long way to go before they top the efforts of Uncal Mick

I know someone that plays for Bradford, will try and get his thoughts on our Aussie friend Might be worth waiting a while... I was going to give it more than a few hours like.

I know someone that plays for Bradford, will try and get his thoughts on our Aussie friend

Well, that was awful. The most entertaining part of the second half was watching the Maritimo subs do their 45min warm up, some of it was like a Vic and Bob sketch.

Good god. Why? Ben arfa 9 It's a pity I ais a preference for Ba Think you've answered your own question there. Also, is that Bigi playing right wing?

Good god.

I got something from the noodle stall at 7ish last night. The schwenkgrill was closing and didn't have anything but all the other food stalls still seemed to be open.

Absolutely no way that was 4-3-3 in the first half. Fergie was wide left and Sammy was up top with Ba. Really strange comment from Pardew, does he think none of us noticed it was 4-4-2?

Had time to think about the match now so here's my view: i) I think it probably was a red. Pardew would have told all the players before the game to not get involved in anything that could result in a red card, so for Tiote to leave his foot in off the floor like that was stupid. It wasn't a reckless challenge or a typical 'leg-breaker' but in that situation the ref is more than likely to produce a red. However, Larsson should also have been sent off for his chest high challenge on Shola. For some reason these tackles never seem to get as much attention as the tackles that are 2 foot off the floor? If one is construed as dangerous play then how can the other not be? ii) We were bossing it up until the red card, no doubt whatsoever in my mind that we would have won by a couple if it weren't for the sending off. iii) Colo was incredible. Dealt with absolutely everything thrown at him and was so composed and assured on the ball. One of the best centre back performances I have ever seen for us. iv) I was slighlty disappointed with Santon today. Not in his defensive work which was very solid, but I thought he was very careless in posssession on quite a few occasions and gave the ball away needlessly when we really needed to keep it. v) The free kick for their goal was taken at least five yards further forward from where the foul was committed. Maybe doesn't seem like much but without that I'm not sure Larsson could have got the angle he did on the delivery, poor refereeing. vi) Atkinson is shit. vii) Sunderland are shit. Johnson reminded me of Damien Duff during his time here, lots of aimless running with the ball down blind alleys.

Hawaii day at the training ground: https://twitter.com/Sammy_Ameobi/status/259265843920269312/photo/1 and the Big Sho gets his own cocktail: https://twitter.com/Sammy_Ameobi/status/259266048170278913/photo/1 :lol:

Loved this bit of the article: 'The decision to portray Rodgers as an ideologically pure, sharp-suited Messiah will be a curious one to anyone who remembers his disastrous tenure at Reading. At the very least, he is revealed as a man whose talent for management is at least matched by his talent for management clichés. “Being the Liverpool manager is a way of life.” “If it’s easy, it wouldn’t be worth doing.” “We were brought up not with the silver spoon, but with the silver shovel.” “It’s not just about training players, it’s about educating players. You train dogs.” “The player plus the environment equals the behaviour.” Being: Liverpool? Talking: B------t, more like.' He sounds like David Brent in a couple of those quotes.

Only 1470 even though the club apparently tried for a lot more. Looks like I won't be going then... http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20120919/brugge-ticket-information_2281670_2923462

Not coming up as that on mine. Think I might sit toward the singing corner for this one. Vary it up. Tickets went really quickly for this. I got mine last thursday/Friday. There were no 2 seats together in the singing corner or in the middle of the Gallowgate. Even where I normally sit in the Upper Gallowgate, most the decent seats were taken. I plumped for Upper East Stand on the halfway line. Never sat there before, always been put off by the seemingly poor atmosphere. Not a huge fan of viewing a game from side on either. But I saw some views from there and they looked amazing, so thought I would go with it. £15 a ticket is really reasonable. According to a few mates, Spurs cheapest seats for the Lazio game are £37! There's actually loads of tickets available. I looked last week and like you said there were hardly any, but I think that was just because they were keeping season ticket seats unavailable to wait and see if the season ticket holder bought their seat. I bought my tickets this week and there are absolutely loads of seats free in the strawberry corner, in the east stand next to the strawberry corner and in the gallowgate (lower and upper tiers).